Rhoda Birley

Lady
Rhoda Birley
Lady Rhoda Birley in her garden at Charleston Manor, Sussex, c.1970s
Born
Rhoda Vava Mary Pike

(1899-02-03)3 February 1899
County Carlow, Ireland
Died15 June 1981(1981-06-15) (aged 82)
Sussex, England
Other nameRhoda Vava Mary Lecky Pike
Occupations
Known forThe gardens and festival at Charleston Manor
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1921; died 1952)​
Children
Relatives

Rhoda Vava Mary, Lady Birley (née Pike; 1899–1981) was an Anglo-Irish gardener, model, and artist, known for developing the Charleston Manor gardens and founding the Charleston Manor Festival.

Early life and marriage

Rhoda Vava Mary Birley was born on 3 February 1899 in County Carlow to Catherine Henrietta Pike (née Howard; c.1858–1930) and Robert Lecky Pike (c.1858–1933). Birley's birth year is sometimes miscited as 1900.

Birley grew up in Kilknock House in County Carlow. On the 14 September 1921, Birley married the portrait painter Oswald Birley at St Mary's Church, in St Marylebone, London. The couple had two children Maxime de la Falaise, born in 1922, and Mark Birley, born in 1930.

Career

In 1931, Birley and Oswald bought 12th century Charleston Manor in East Sussex. In 1932, the couple employed Walter Godfrey to restore the property, and to transform the properties barn into a concert hall. Birley designed the gardens, and planted them alongside Oswald.

Rhoda Birley founded the Charleston Manor Festival, initially calling it the Sussex Festival. The festival emerged from poetry recitals, readings and talks that Birley began organising at the Manor in 1935.[citation needed]

Charleston Manor was sold in 1980.

Death and legacy

Birley died on the 15 June 1981 aged 82.

In 1928, William Reid Dick carved a stone bust of Birley. Birley was the inspiration for Peter Jensen's Spring 2017 Ready-to-wear collection.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Unmounted slide of Lady Rhoda Birley". RHS Digital Collections. London: Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  2. ↑ "Rhoda Vava Mary Pike". Quarterly Returns of Births in Ireland with Index to Births. 3. Dublin: General Register Office: 310. 1899.
  3. ↑ "Catherine Henrietta Pike". Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration Made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London: Principal Probate Registry: 718. 1931.
  4. ↑ "Catherine Henrietta Pike". 1921 Census Returns (RG 15/581, ED 9, Sch 85, Book 00581). Kew, Surrey: The National Archives of the UK. 1921.
  5. ↑ "Robert Lecky Pike". 1921 Census Returns (RG 15/581, ED 9, Sch 85, Book 00581). Kew, Surrey: The National Archives of the UK. 1921.
  6. ↑ "Robert Lecky Pike". Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration Made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London: Principal Probate Registry: 749. 1933.
  7. 1 2 "Rhoda (née Lecky Pike), Lady Birley – National Portrait Gallery". Npg.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  8. ↑ Collins, Liam (15 July 2018). "Artistic legacy of the Irish beauty with 'the exotic name'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "Rhoda Vava Mary Pike and Oswald Hornby Joseph Birley". London Church of England Parish Registers (P89/MRY2/089). London: London Archives: 120. 1921.
  10. ↑ Black, Jonathan (2017). "Chronology". Power & Beauty | The Art of Sir Oswald Birley. London: Philip Mould & Co. pp. 10–17. ISBN 978-0-9927264-3-0.
  11. ↑ Fox, Margalit (2 May 2009). "Maxime de la Falaise, Model, Designer and Muse, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  12. ↑ Horwell, Veronica (8 May 2009). "Maxime de la Falaise". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  13. ↑ Orth, Maureen (1 February 2008). "Hurly Birley". Vanity Fair. p. 152. ISSN 0733-8899. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  14. 1 2 "Charleston Manor, Cuckmere Valley – 1000164 | Historic England". Historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  15. 1 2 Cohen, Robert. "History". Charleston Manor Festival. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  16. ↑ Macnaughton, Ollie (2023). "Landscapes and portraits by Sir Oswald Birley and Lady Birley will be sold at auction". Tatler. New York City; London: Condé Nast; Illustrated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  17. ↑ "Lady Rhoda Vava Mary Birley". Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration Made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London: Principal Probate Registry: 749. 1933.
  18. ↑ "'Lady Rhoda Birley', a Reid Dick carved stone bust". Christies.com. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  19. ↑ Farrell, Aimee (17 September 2016). "Peter Jensen: SPRING 2017 READY-TO-WEAR". Vogue. New York City: Condé Nast. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  20. ↑ Socha, Miles (18 September 2016). "Peter Jensen RTW Spring 2017". Women's Wear Daily. New York City: Fairchild Fashion Media. Retrieved 27 May 2025.